TEHRAN, Aug. 25 (MNA) – A senior French official says France invited Iran’s foreign minister to the venue of the G-7 summit to try to ease tensions over its nuclear program, according to AP.

The Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Biarritz, France almost an hour ago during G7 at the invitation of his French counterpart to continue consultations already existing between the presidents of Iran and France.

The surprise arrival of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif came just two days after his meetings with France’s president and FM Le Drian.

According to AP, a French official said the decision to invite Javad Zarif on Sunday to the Group of Seven summit in Biarritz, France, came after the G-7 leaders, including US President Donald Trump, gathered for dinner on Saturday night.

Asked whether the White House was aware of the visit, the French official said “we operate on our own terms” but noted that Macron and Trump met for two hours yesterday and discussed Iran at length, as well as at the group dinner with other leaders.

The French official, who was not authorized to be named publicly, said that France considers it important to check in with Zarif to continue to bring positions closer together and de-escalate tensions.

While the Iranian FM spokesman had stressed that there would not be any meetings with the Americans during Zarif's stay in Biarritz, the French official told AP that the Americans in Biarritz will not meet with Zarif, and that France “is working in full transparency with the US and in full transparency with European partners.”